1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lever-type operating apparatus to be used, for example, for controlling an engine of a vehicle based on a rotational operation angle of a lever.
2. Related Art
In so-called riding type vehicles such as watercraft or snowmobiles, they normally have a steering handlebar, and a lever-type throttle operating apparatus for controlling an engine may be provided on the handlebar. This lever-type throttle operating apparatus includes a lever and a case. The lever is installed in a vicinity of a handgrip mounted at a distal end of the handlebar so that a rider can rotationally operate the lever while gripping the handgrip. The case is fixed to the handlebar and rotatably supports the lever.
A lever-type throttle operating apparatus according to related art (which does not correspond to prior art) includes, for example, a lever which can rotate about a rotational shaft formed within the case, a link mechanism which extends from a proximal end portion of the lever and is operated in association with a rotational operation of the lever within the case, and a detection sensor for detecting an operation amount of the link mechanism. An operation amount of the link mechanism is detected by the detection sensor so as to detect a rotational operation angle of the lever to thereby control an engine of a vehicle based on the rotational operation amount of the lever so detected.
In the above related lever-type throttle operating apparatus, however, since there is provided the link mechanism which is operated in association with the lever, there may be a drawback that the apparatus is made large in whole. Namely, in the related apparatus, the link mechanism is provided so as to extend from the proximal end portion of the lever and the detection sensor is provided at a distal end portion of the link mechanism. Therefore, a large case is needed, so that a size of a whole of the apparatus becomes large.